Classes Offer Gifted Students Fun Challenges

At Sanders Park Elementary School in Pompano Beach, students took part in an unusual modern-day archaeological dig, sifting for artifacts through layers of cinnamon, parsley and popcorn.

``You will not believe what the room smelled liked,`` teacher Janice Meyers said with a laugh.

The fun, offbeat project took place about two weeks ago and was part of a summer program to teach gifted children about the wonders of ancient cultures and civilizations.

More than 500 students are enrolled in summer programs for the gifted this year. Summer enrichment activities are offered in nine schools in the county. Gifted students from most county schools attend the summer program.

Each gifted student has an IQ above 130, in the genius category.

``These are real interesting kids. They`re not all the same when it comes to anything,`` said Grace McDonald, coordinator of gifted programs for the public schools. But, she said, most gifted children are easily bored. Many gifted children also have social and emotional problems that go along with their superior intelligence.

The gifted programs also give teachers an opportunity to be more creative.

``I think gifted summer school sessions are wonderful because they allow us to do so many different things, other than just opening up textbooks,`` said Meyers, who has had her archaeology students carve clay tablets.

At Lauderhill`s Paul Turner Elementary, where elementary gifted students from central Broward County attend summer school, teacher Elaine Freeman has a daily ``circle time`` to develop her students` social skills and self-esteem.

``I like the circle time because we get to share our feelings,`` said Autumn White, 8, a student from Banyan Elementary in Sunrise.

Generally, the summer program is designed to encourage gifted students to explore three topics in depth while cooperating with each other.

In their first two weeks of summer school, the Turner students learned about dinosaurs and cave dwellers. Next, they will learn about marketing, advertising and how the stock market works. They`ll finish the summer by learning astronomy and magic tricks -- mysteries explainable by science.

Two other county elementary schools, Ramblewood in Coral Springs and Cooper City Elementary, also have activities for the gifted this summer.

At New River Middle School, southwest of Fort Lauderdale, students are designing advertisements for their own product concepts. They are learning how the stock market works by playing a computer game that allows them to buy and sell stocks and bonds.

The middle school students also will speculate about the future with activities on homes, inventions and society in the future -- another mystery of the universe.

Middle school students in the northern part of the county attend a program at Margate Middle School, where they also will study archaeology, business and the future.

Those in the southern part of the county attend gifted programs at Nova Middle School in Davie and Driftwood Middle School in Hollywood.

Summer school is not required for the students attending these programs; it is a release from boredom. Many say they would be watching television or sleeping if they were not in school.

``There`s nothing to do in the house,`` said Hien Mbui, 12, a Lauderdale Lakes Middle School student attending the New River program this summer. ``So I thought I`d try summer school. It`s more fun than regular school.``